Sources of Health Insurance
and Characteristics of the Uninsured

West South Central States,
1998

Arkansas

The percentage of Arkansas'
nonelderly population (under age 65) without health
insurance coverage in 1998 was 21.8 percent. This was
higher than the national rate of 18.4 percent. Arkansas'
nonelderly population also had a lower rate of
employment-based coverage, 61.4 percent, than the
national rate of 64.9 percent.

Children living in
Arkansas--infants through age 17--had a lower rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 58.5 percent,
than the national rate, 60.2 percent. The uninsured rate
for children in Arkansas, 19.0 percent, was above the
national rate, 15.4 percent.

Children living in families with
incomes below the federal poverty level were the most
likely to be uninsured, 35.9 percent, and children in
families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the
federal poverty level were the least likely to be
uninsured, 5.2 percent.

Arkansas workers had a lower rate
of employment-based health insurance coverage, 70.3
percent, than the nation, 72.8 percent. Also, 52.7
percent of Arkansas workers had employment-based health
insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were
the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.5 percent
for the nation.

Larger firms were more likely than
smaller firms to provide coverage: 62.8 percent of
Arkansas workers in firms with 1,000 or more workers had
coverage in their own name, compared with 15.6 percent of
workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

Among Arkansas workers, the most
likely to have employment-based health insurance in their
own name were those in transportation, communications,
and utilities, 79.9 percent, and in manufacturing, 74.8
percent. Workers in government had the lowest uninsured
rate in the state, 8.2 percent, followed by manufacturing
workers at 10.0 percent. Workers in agriculture/mining
and those who were self-employed had the highest
uninsured rates in the state, 43.2 percent and 42.9
percent, respectively.

Louisiana

The percentage of Louisiana's
nonelderly population (under age 65) without health
insurance coverage in 1998 was 21.5 percent. This was
higher than the national rate of 18.4 percent.
Louisiana's nonelderly population also had a lower rate
of employment-based coverage, 60.9 percent, than the
national rate of 64.9 percent.

Children living in
Louisiana--infants through age 17--had a lower rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 55.2 percent,
than the national rate, 60.2 percent. The uninsured rate
for children in Louisiana, 18.4 percent, was also above
the national rate of 15.4 percent.

Children living in families with
incomes below the federal poverty level were the most
likely to be uninsured, 24.9 percent, and children in
families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the
federal poverty level were the least likely to be
uninsured, less than 7.2 percent.

Louisiana workers had a lower rate
of employment-based health insurance coverage, 71.6
percent, than the national rate, 72.8 percent. Also, 55.2
percent of Louisiana workers had employment-based health
insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were
the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.5 percent
for the nation.

Larger firms were more likely than
smaller firms to provide coverage: 60.2 percent of
Louisiana workers in firms with 1,000 or more workers had
coverage in their own name, compared with 37.9 percent of
workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

Among Louisiana workers, the most
likely to have employment-based health insurance in their
own name were those in transportation, communications,
and utilities, 74.3 percent, and in government, 73.9
percent. Workers in finance, insurance, and real estate
had the lowest uninsured rate in the state, 4.6 percent,
followed by government workers at 8.7 percent. Workers
who were self-employed and those in construction had the
highest uninsured rates in the state at 42.1 percent and
41.8 percent, respectively.

Oklahoma

The percentage of Oklahoma's
nonelderly population (under age 65) without health
insurance coverage in 1998 was 21.4 percent. This was
higher than the national rate, 18.4 percent. Oklahoma's
nonelderly population also had a lower rate of
employment-based coverage, 62.0 percent, than the
national rate, 64.9 percent.

Children living in
Oklahoma--infants through age 17--had a lower rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 54.4 percent,
than the national rate of 60.2 percent. The uninsured
rate for children in Oklahoma, 22.5 percent, was above
the national rate, 15.4 percent.

Children living in families with
incomes below the federal poverty level were the most
likely to be uninsured, 36.0 percent, and children in
families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the
federal poverty level were the least likely to be
uninsured, 15.7 percent.

Oklahoma workers had a slightly
lower rate of employment-based health insurance coverage,
72.5 percent, than the nation, 72.8 percent. Also, 54.5
percent of Oklahoma workers had employment-based health
insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were
the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.5 percent
for the nation.

Larger firms were more likely than
smaller firms to provide coverage. Among Oklahoma workers
in firms with 1,000 or more workers, 66.6 percent had
coverage in their own name, compared with 18.6 percent of
workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

Among Oklahoma workers, the most
likely to have employment-based health insurance in their
own name were those in finance, insurance, and real
estate, 76.2 percent, and in manufacturing, 75.9 percent.
Manufacturing workers had the lowest uninsured rate in
the state, 8.0 percent, followed by workers in government
at 10.4 percent. The highest uninsured rates in the state
were among workers in construction, 56.5 percent, and
those who were self-employed, 29.6 percent.

Texas

The percentage of Texas' nonelderly
population (under age 65) without health insurance
coverage in 1998 was 27.0 percent. This was higher than
the national rate, 18.4 percent. Texas had the
second-highest uninsured rate in the country; Arizona had
a higher rate. Texas' nonelderly population also had a
lower rate of employment-based coverage, 57.9 percent,
than the national rate, 64.9 percent.

Children living in Texas--infants
through age 17--had a lower rate of employment-based
health insurance coverage, 51.2 percent, than the
national rate, 60.2 percent. Texas had the third-lowest
rate of employment-based coverage for children;
California and the District of Columbia had lower rates.
The uninsured rate for children in Texas, 25.4 percent,
was above the national rate, 15.4 percent. Texas had the
second-highest uninsured rate for children in the
country; Arizona had a higher rate.

Children living in families with
incomes just above the federal poverty level--100 percent
to 149 percent of poverty--were the most likely to be
uninsured, 40.4 percent, and children in families with
incomes of 400 percent or more of the federal poverty
level were least likely to be uninsured, 6.2 percent.

Texas workers had a lower rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 66.6 percent,
than the nation, 72.8 percent. Also, 53.2 percent of
Texas workers had employment-based health insurance
coverage in their own name (meaning they were the primary
beneficiaries), compared with 55.5 percent for the
nation.

Larger firms were more likely than
smaller firms to provide coverage. Among Texas workers in
firms with 1,000 or more workers, 61.7 percent had
coverage in their own name, compared with 23.4 percent of
those in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

Among Texas workers, the most
likely to have employment-based health insurance coverage
in their own name were those in government, 74.9 percent,
and in manufacturing, 68.6 percent. Government workers
had the lowest uninsured rate in the state, 9.3 percent,
followed by workers in finance, insurance, and real
estate, 17.9 percent. Workers in construction and in
agriculture/mining had the highest uninsured rates in the
state at 52.5 percent and 38.6 percent, respectively.